Zoning and Subdivision in the Garden

So, here we are again. Blogging is surely cathartic. I know that most of the people who glance at this site are not particularly interested in what another local community bureaucrat has to say. But it is nice for me to have a place to expunge my bile and vitriol. And at the same time, I am able to share some good things, too. All of which is good for me.

Our City has been revamping our Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances. This has been an interesting experience for me because I have learned a lot about how this process works. There is not any really clear way to proceed with this kind of thing. We have had ordinances on our books, of course, but there were some gaping holes in them. Sometimes I feel like the Dutch boy with his thumb in the dike. In order for the dike to get fixed, I have to remove my thumb and hope it's low tide...

It's also interesting working with elected officials and City staff on concerns that we have. In doing this, there is a real potential to reach into the pockets of each land owner in the City and affect greatly how much their property is worth. That is something I take very seriously, and since I live here too, it affects me as well. I guess we can only ever do our best and keep plugging away.

On a personal note, I believe that we have a responsibility to care for each other. The function of government is to promote the common good and welfare, guarantee morals and standards of the community, and serve the interests of each individual who lives in our area. In particular, we have the responsibility to seek out those whose voices have become diminished for whatever reason and bring them to light.

Quick Post

I have spoken about this before, in earlier posts. Now it looks like CNN has caught up to my prognostication. Check out this article:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/06/16/suburb.city/index.html

I am not sure why this is in the Technology section...

The crux of the article is that the suburbs are becoming rapidly out-moded. But as inner-city areas become more attractive and desirable, gentrification ensues driving up prices and driving out lower-income folks. Thus, those who are least able to commute long distances are the ones who are being forced to. The suburbs were designed around the automobile - mass transit doesn't work well out there because it is expensive to drive big buses along residential streets. But the people who need the mass transit are the ones who are being displaced by the gentrification.

My next prognostication: decreased service levels to the suburbs as cities focus on inner-city redevelopment - less money to maintain decaying and out-moded infrastructure in the outlying, money-sucking suburbs, thus placing a dis-proportional burden (again) on those least able to absorb it.

Remember, you read it here first!

The Sword of Damocles

Are you familiar with this one? The Sword of Damocles has reference to a supporter of the King of Syracuse. This supporter, named Damocles, often boasted of how wonderful it must be to be king. The king decided to allow Damocles to sit on his throne and enjoy a king's life for a day. At first, Damocles really enjoyed himself. But then he noticed that right above the throne a sword was suspended by a single horse hair. All of a sudden, the chair wasn't so comfortable any more, the food lost it's taste, and Damocles began to understand that those in positions of authority are often under great pressure to perform - or else.

This story is often used to point out the danger that people in authority are in. This danger may come from those who are around them, jealous of the power (or supposed power). It may come from arrogance (or ignorance) on the part of the powerful. And it may come from circumstances beyond the control of those in authority, and the reactions of others to the perceived actions and reactions of the authorities.

One of the greatest dangers and sins of the ancient Greeks was hubris. Hubris, which may be defined as arrogance or excessive self-aggrandizement (beta pride). Hubris is not only concerned with being better, but in being better than others. It is also the feelings of resentment towards those who are successful. People who suffer from hubris may soon find themselves victims to those they lorded over. People who suffer from envy may find their lives bitter and unfulfilled.

On the other hand, there is a pride which is mainly internal, a satisfaction with one's own performance (not position). This is referred to as alpha pride. This pride is not puffed-up, but a general feeling of satisfaction and pleasure that comes as a result of a job well-done. The achievement of a goal long sought is one of the things that may lead to this kind of pride. This pride is not concerned with being better than others, rather in improving one's own lot and performance. Whether one wins or loses is less important than how one performed compared to one's prior attempts. These kinds of people find themselves fulfilled and satisfied with their lives, while constantly looking to improve themselves to be better (it sounds contradictory, but I think you know what I mean...)

There is a kind of arrogance which can pervade the development community. It comes from developers who are only seeking the profit, from City staff who think they know more than the community members, and from elected or appointed officials who are defending the cause of the common man... It is against this kind of hubris that we must struggle. It will be long, but must go on.

East Texas Heat

Yesterday evening the sunset was particularly lovely. The sun was lighting up the tops of some of the big white puffy clouds that blow in off the Gulf. The lower portions of the clouds were in the shadows, but the tops were lit up with the golden rays of the ebbing day. My son and I were walking around in our neighborhood, enjoying the warm breeze and each other.

A little while later, there were some clouds that were hanging near where the sun had set but the sky was still light. My son said that it looked just like someone had ripped some paper and placed it on the sky. The clouds were also lit up from below by the lights from the industrial areas. Again, the breeze was like a soft, warm caress.

Ah, to spend time with one's children - can anything be better?